Another Long Lost Friend
by mokakenobi
Summary: Takes place after School Reunion. The Doctor goes looking for his hand and finds a long lost friend in Cardiff.


**Another Long Lost Friend**

Disclaimer: The Doctor belongs entirely to the BBC

Jack/Ten Friendship

After School Reunion the Doctor goes looking for his hand. I've always wondered why the Doctor didn't bother once about what happened to his hand. Well, this journey leads him to it and to a long lost friend ;)

_AN: Thanks to the-writer1988 this stiry is now beated. Thank you for the time you're taking to make my stories better ;)  
_

_For all my readers of "The Path of a Jedi": I am still working on this. But I need to get this new obsession with the Doctor out of my system before returning to it. But rest assured Part II will be posted soon._

* * *

**Another Long Lost Friend**

It was silent in the TARDIS when the Doctor returned without Rose and Mickey. Mickey had to get his things together in order to come traveling with them and the Doctor knew that Rose needed a little chat with her mother before leaving. He had seen his companion's reaction when he had agreed to take Mickey with them and he was well aware of the fact that she hadn't approved of the idea. However, she would get used to it and it seemed the right thing to do. Their encounter with Sarah Jane had not only shaken Rose but him as well. The day would come when their ways would part and he didn't want her to be alone then. She needed someone like Mickey to share her experiences, to get over the fact that he wasn't in her life anymore.

He took a deep breath, trying to shove the feeling of melancholy into the back of his mind. Human companions were entirely too fragile for this. However, he knew that it was part of his motivation to have someone at his side. After having seen the sadness in Sarah Jane's eyes, he had to reconsider though. He couldn't just carry on taking people with him, without thinking about the end, and experience had taught him that there was always an end waiting in the shadows. Having Mickey with them was going to make the transition easier for Rose. They would be able to talk about their adventures and Rose would get over it without having to be alone like Sarah Jane had been.

He pushed a few buttons on the TARDIS screen initializing a DNA search. Mickey's and Rose's absence gave him a brief moment to finally take care of some unfinished business. He knew that he should have done this a long time ago. It had been dangerous not to look after his hand and find out what had happened to it. However, after Christmas he had been too anxious to leave this place, still fearing that Rose would change her mind if he waited too long. But he knew what his DNA in the wrong hands could do. So, he had to look for it now.

A beep signalled the end of the search and he looked at the screen, frowning when he recognized the location. He had hoped that it had been destroyed, but now the results showed him that his hand was in Cardiff. There was no time to waste. He pulled the lever to start the dematerialization sequence and was on his way.

* * *

The Torchwood Hub was silent tonight. It was just after dawn and Jack Harkness had sent Tosh, Suzie and Owen home. The Rift manipulator showed no signs of any activity and he wanted to have some time alone. He looked around and smiled. He was proud of this place and he had to admit that in the end his decision to join Torchwood had been good for him.

He had been lost and devastated after having been left behind by the Doctor and it had taken him a long time to get over his anger and grief. Today, over a century later, he only wanted to see the man again. He was eager to talk to him, to ask him what had happened on Satellite Five. There must have been a reason the Doctor had left him behind and he needed to know it.

He looked fondly toward the canister, placed prominently in the Hub. His team had asked whom this hand belonged when he had brought it in, but he had declared that it was none of their business, that this was a personal item. He hadn't received it through Torchwood and besides the one who had given it to him no one knew that it was here.

This hand was his _one_ chance to finally find the Doctor. He was sure that the residing energy would alert him the moment his old friend would come back to Cardiff to refuel his TARDIS. His eyes took on a wistful shimmer. He just hoped that the moment would soon be here. He had waited long enough. It was time to see the Time Lord again. After all he wanted some answers only the Doctor would be able to give.

Suddenly the canister began to vibrate slightly and Jack jumped toward it. It couldn't be, could it?

* * *

The TARDIS had materialized smoothly in a Plaza in the middle of Cardiff. The Doctor smiled contently. The screen pointed toward a location just under the Plaza and it wouldn't take him long to find his hand now. He took his coat from the coral pillar near the entrance and opened the door carefully.

Looking out, he realized it was already evening, which should give him the advantage of not being noticed. He walked out and took in his surroundings. Without difficulty he was able to detect a perception filter, apparently hiding a secret entrance. Someone had been able to use the existing Rift to his own advantage. He raised an eyebrow, a bit concerned when he thought that this someone also held his hand. He just hoped that whoever it was, hadn't realized how valuable it was. Perhaps this was another Van Statten, a millionaire who just collected alien technology without having too much knowledge about it.

He examined the hidden spot with his sonic screwdriver and decided that using this entrance would draw too much attention toward him. Even if the perception filter would hide his actions from anyone passing by, he didn't know what was awaiting him down there. There had to be another way in. He stood up and looked around, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

At the end of the Plaza he spotted a figure, hidden in the dark and he took a deep breath. He had hoped to get in without being noticed, however, this wasn't an option anymore. He saw the figure moving slightly to get a better view and it was obvious that he or she knew what the Doctor was up to. Well, he had to talk his way through it then.

With his hand in his pockets he carefully walked over and as he had expected the other stepped into the light then. The moment the light was shining on his face, the Doctor inhaled sharply, not able to fight the shock at seeing the familiar face. Jack. . . . He stopped and tried to maintain his composure, his eyes widening slightly.

Jack was approaching slowly and the Doctor took in his appearance. He wore the same coat as he had in 1941 London and no one would have thought him any different, but the Doctor was able to see the changed features. Jack was older and he had experienced enough pain since the Time Lord had last seen him. The Doctor's typical instinct kicked in and he was struggling against the urge to run away. He wasn't well equipped to deal with situations like these. The emotional baggage the Captain was carrying was written all over his face and he knew that there was no way to escape awkward questions after what had happened on Satellite Five.

Jack stopped a few feet away from him and the Doctor saw him swallowing briefly. Apparently his old friend was torn between greeting him in his usual casual way and punching him in the face. The Doctor prepared himself for the latter, but the other man gave him a slow nod. "Doctor," he said in a soft voice which indicated a question as well as a greeting.

Somehow the Time Lord wasn't able to react with his usual babbling to this. It was rare that he lost his speech in this incarnation but Jack seemed to be too much of a surprise even for him. Then he felt Jack's insecurity and it dawned on him that this was the first time the Captain was seeing him in this body. He didn't move but he tried to chase away his own emotions with a brilliant smile.

"Jack," he said, trying to keep his tone light. "Oh, uhm, yes, it's me. Regeneration, you know." He moved a bit closer toward the other man and continued, "What do you think? Not so bad, is it? I mean, I had worse and I have to admit I quite like this body. Same old Doctor though. . . ."

Somehow he wasn't able to keep it up and he looked wearily toward the Captain, hoping that Jack would say something. But the other man was just looking back, taking in the Doctor's appearance. The Time Lord fidgeted slightly at the scrutiny.

Then, finally Jack took a deep breath. "You abandoned me," he said flatly and his eyes became fierce.

The Doctor fought against his discomfort and forced himself to smile. "Did I? Well, I was busy. You know fighting the Daleks, dying, regenerating. . . You know the drill."

He saw that his few words had an effect on the Captain. Trust Jack to be compassionate with the man who had left him on a Satellite in the year 200.100 without any means of escaping. A wave of shame hit the Doctor and he swallowed deeply against it.

"So, you died there? You. . ." Jack looked him all over. It was obvious that he was struggling with what to say. He settled for a simple "Well, that's a difference to your former self."

The relief at Jack's genuine surprise made the Doctor truly smile this time. "Yes," his grin became wider. "It surely is. Look at me, brand-new Doctor." He spun around once.

Jack apparently didn't know how to react to his humor. The Doctor sensed the man's confusion and looked around toward the perception filter. "Well, won't you invite me in?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

His direct question made the Captain finally smile and for a brief moment the Time Lord enjoyed seeing the old Jack in this unfamiliar man.

"I thought that you'd have figured it out," Jack said and his voice sounded slightly proud. Then he took the Doctor's hand and led him to the spot. He placed himself behind the Time Lord and drew him nearer to his body.

The Doctor felt uncomfortable at being so close to Jack. He took a deep breath to fight against the sense of wrongness emanating from the Captain. However, he was well aware of the fact that this spot was tight and that they had to stand close to activate the entrance.

"Now, Doctor, it's a pleasure to have you here. Prepare yourself to get to know Torchwood," Jack said and when he pushed a button on his vortex manipulator the pavement moved and they were driving down with an invisible lift, leaving the Doctor with amazement. He had expected an entrance to some mysterious place but what he saw now was massive.

* * *

"Is that a Rift manipulator?" the new Doctor asked, his eyes shining with curiosity. Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to the computers and began pressing buttons.

Jack swallowed against the lump forming in his throat. He had waited so long just to meet the Doctor, _his_ Doctor, and it was disconcerting to stand opposite a complete stranger. With his big brown eyes and skinny frame he almost looked like a young boy, his appearance giving no hint to the powerful being hidden underneath. But in this moment he saw a glimpse of the old Doctor. His typical manner to barge in and take over control obviously hadn't changed.

"Help yourself, Doctor," he replied, his tone bearing a hint of sarcasm.

The Time Lord stepped back from the terminal, apparently realizing that his behavior wasn't appropriate. He gave Jack a sheepish smile. "Sorry," he shrugged. "A bit rude this incarnation, you know. That's the problem with regeneration. You'll never know what you get."

Jack gave him an understanding nod. Somehow he really understood. He already had remarked slight changes in comparison to his old Doctor and he began asking himself how the Time Lord was able to cope with that. His thoughts drifted a bit, imagining how it must have been for the Doctor after he had left Satellite Five, dying and regenerating. . . .

The Doctor looked around, a frown forming on his face. "Tell me, Jack, what is this place?"

Jack shook himself out of his thoughts. "This, Doctor, this is Torchwood. We are an institute founded to research alien occurrences on earth. Cardiff is just one of the branches with the sole purpose to guard the Rift. I have a team who works with me and we're trying to keep things under control here."

The Doctor nodded and Jack could have sworn that he had seen something like respect flickering in the Time Lord's eyes. Apparently still remembering not to touch anything, he carefully approached the Rift manipulator. "I'm impressed," he said when he turned back to Jack. "This is a fine piece of technology and I assume you're surveying the Rift activity with these?" His looked at the computers.

"Yeah, we do. Detecting activity, driving to the location and deal with whatever the Rift throws at us," the Captain answered, glad to tread on neutral ground here. Explaining what they did at Torchwood hadn't anything to do with the emotional turmoil within him at seeing his old friend.

"You like some tea?" He then asked, remembering his manners and hoping to postpone the inevitable.

The Doctor gave him a broad smile at that. "Tea would be brilliant!"

Jack returned the smile. "Just go into my office. I'll be with you in minute," he said and pointed toward his desk. Without awaiting a reply he fled the scene, hoping to regain his composure while preparing tea.

When he came into his office a few minutes later, the Doctor was standing in front of his desk, his gaze locked onto the piece of coral that Jack had placed there. He turned around and Jack was sure that he saw him swallow against the urge to ask.

Trying to ignore the inquisitive eyes, the Captain placed a mug in front of the Time Lord and sat down behind his desk.

When both of them were seated, Jack took a deep breath. There was no reason to delay this any longer. Just where to begin?

The Doctor nodded toward the coral. "It's a piece of the TARDIS," he said matter-of-factly. "Are you going to tell me how you got it?"

Jack was fighting a smile at seeing the confusion in the Time Lord's eyes. "Well, I didn't rip it off of your ship. I can assure you," he replied, glad to return to his usual humorous tone. "I've been here for a long time and I made some friends, specifically people who've known you for a long time."

The Doctor frowned, then a wistful smile crazed his lips. "The Brigadier? I am surprised he parted with it."

"He told me that it should be safe. And somehow I was able to convince him that we were friends." He didn't like the hurt in his voice.

"Well, we are, aren't we, Jack?" the Doctor said. Then he leaned forward a bit. "A long time you say. Just how long exactly?"

Jack inhaled at this, knowing the conversation had begun in earnest now. "More than a century," he answered and his eyes took on a shimmer of reproach.

The Doctor swallowed at that. "I'd say that's a long time for a human being with an average lifespan."

Jack saw the knowing look in the Time Lord's eyes and realization dawned on him. "You knew! All this time, you actually knew. . . ."

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably. "Well, that was the reason why I left you behind," he said and his eyes became distant.

Jack locked eyes with him and the tension between them was palpable. "But if you knew, why. . ."

The Doctor inhaled sharply and drew his eyes away from the Captain, watching the coral intently. "You must know that this is wrong, Jack," he replied, his tone flat. "It never should have happened."

Suddenly the anger was back. Jack had prepared for this moment such a long time but now that the Doctor was here, he couldn't fight the sense of betrayal any longer. "But it _did _happen," he said, his eyes icy. "And you left me to deal with it on my own. No explanation, no help from you. . . I had to go by trial and error, died many times, came back to life, died again. . . In the end I got the message. I am the man who can never die." He swallowed against his agitation. "What exactly happened, Doctor? I think you owe me an explanation at least."

The Doctor's eyes widened slightly at the anger in his voice and Jack thought to himself, how weird it was to see big brown eyes instead of blue ones. It would still need some time to get used to this new appearance.

"Rose. . ." the Time Lord replied, "Rose happened. She came back, opened the heart of the TARDIS and took the power of the whole time vortex inside her. She destroyed the Daleks and saved my life. She wanted to save you, too, but she didn't know how to use this power. In the end she made you immortal." He began playing nervously with his mug. "No human being can maintain such an amount of energy and it was killing her. I took it out of her, it killed me, I regenerated and. . . Regeneration went wrong. I wasn't able to control the TARDIS any longer and we almost crashed. In the end we landed on Earth at Christmas Eve. Next thing I know is that I had to fight the Sycorax. . . ."

Jack felt that the Doctor had left out much in his account but he was able to accept the few bits the Time Lord had given him. "So, you left me because I was immortal and. . . wrong?"

Taking a deep breath the Doctor gave him a nod. "You _are_, Jack. I can sense it even now, sitting across from you is just . . . I can't explain it. I'm a Time Lord and my instincts tell me to stay away from you. You're a fixed point in the constant flow of time. It makes my senses scream."

Jack cringed briefly but was able to hide his hurt. "How is she?" he asked, knowing that in the end Rose was the _one_ safe subject between them. They had both loved her and wanted to protect her.

The Doctor recognized his question for what it was and a broad smile appeared on his face. "Oh, she's fine. I invited Mickey to travel with us and they are currently preparing for our departure."

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Mickey, the idiot?"

He saw a slight smile on the Time Lord's face and knew that both of them had the same memory in mind: The last time they had been together in Cardiff, one of the last carefree days they had experienced before Satellite Five.

"Well," the Doctor said. "I have to say, he actually helped us during our last adventure in London and . . ." His expression grew serious. "I really want Rose to have someone. She shouldn't be as attached to me as she currently is. I think another face in the TARDIS will be good for both of us."

Jack flinched at that. This other face had been him before, and in the end he had been left behind. "You mean, in case you have to part with her some day?" He knew that his tone was a bit too sharp and he regretted it the moment the words were out when he saw the hurt on the Doctor's face.

"I don't usually leave my companions behind, Jack," the Time Lord said, his voice icy. "As I told Rose not so long ago, my companions have the luxury of staying with me until the end of their lives if they wish to do so, while I don't have such luck. You of all people should understand what this means."

Jack looked down, remembering all the people he had lost over the last century. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think . . ."

The Doctor looked back, a sigh escaping his lips. "Well, perhaps you have every right to lash out after what I've done to you."

Jack held his breath; he knew that he wouldn't get something closer to an apology from the Time Lord.

* * *

The tension seemed to decrease after that and the Doctor began to relax a bit. He knew it was time to approach the subject of his hand, but he also wanted to give Jack the opportunity to sort things out with him. The Captain had every right to be angry at him. Well, he would take that gladly, as long as Rose didn't have to deal with the fact that Jack's immortality was due to her actions.

He needn't have worried though. Jack Harkness wasn't someone to dwell on emotions for long. "Now, Doctor, I presume this isn't a social call. Well, it can't be, can it? Considering that you didn't even know I was here." The Captain's smile was bright and his wink showed so much of the old Jack that the Doctor cringed.

He shook his head. "No, you know that I don't do social calls. Actually," he looked around. "I am here to get my hand and I am pretty sure you can help me with that."

Jack smiled broadly and the Doctor knew that he wouldn't let this pass without a remark. "A bit careless, leaving all that Time Lord DNA lying around in London, don't you think?"

"Well, I wasn't quite myself then, as I've already told you," the Doctor replied, feeling a bit embarrassed. Jack was right it had been foolish not to look for the hand right away. Things could be much worse than finding it in his friend's care.

"UNIT found it and the Brigadier wanted to be sure that it's safe. He didn't trust his own people to resist the urge to experiment with it. He knew that I was waiting for you to come here to refuel and he decided that I needed a Doctor detector."

The Time Lord was astonished how well these two friends of him seemed to get along.

Jack continued. "It's in my private care as I know that Torchwood London would have a field day if they found it."

The Doctor frowned, somehow he felt that Jack wasn't just talking about the typical curiosity concerning alien DNA. Suddenly he looked up. "Torchwood?" he said and his eyes narrowed slightly. "I know that name. . . "

"Well, I certainly hope so," Jack replied. "Otherwise the whole founding myth of this institute would be just that, a myth."

"Oh," the Doctor's facial expression changed and he scolded himself for not thinking about this before "Now I remember. Torchwood was the name of that house in Scotland . . ."

"Where you saved Queen Victoria from a werewolf and she knighted you."

"Well, she banned me at the same time, which wasn't the nicest thing to do after Rose and I risked our life for her safety."

Jack laughed at that. "She did even more. She founded this institute to fight against alien threats and she declared you enemy number one in the founding papers."

The Doctor looked at him with an indignant expression. "That's. . . I mean, don't you think that's just rude?"

"She seemed to be under the impression that it was _you_, who had been unduly rude and she didn't like the fact that you seemed to have enjoyed your little adventure in the Victorian age." Jack smiled and shook his head before the Doctor could protest. "Stop it, Doctor. We both know you _did_ enjoy it. You're always enjoying it. No, you just love it and you can hardly hide that. I mean you couldn't before and I don't believe you can now, judging from what I've seen since I've met this new regeneration." The Captain's smile suddenly became wistful. "That's why I loved traveling with you so much. You made the discovery of a new world always an adventure. You taught me that _seeing_ the universe is enough to be happy. You made me a better man and I'd love to get back to that life."

The Doctor looked at him with wide eyes. Jack didn't suggest that he could come with him, did he? How should he decline that without hurting the younger man even more as he had already done? How should he explain his reasons for leaving him behind again?

Jack seemed to read his thoughts and a sad smile crossed his face. "Don't worry. I won't ask you. I have my responsibility here and I am sure you didn't tell Rose about me and my. . . condition."

The Time Lord swallowed at being caught like that. Since when was the Captain so perceptive? However, he couldn't help feeling relieved that Jack had spared him another awkward conversation with his declaration that he wanted to stay here.

"By the way," the other man continued. "What exactly _did _you tell her?"

The Doctor shifted a bit uncomfortably. "I said that you were busy, rebuilding the Earth. Well, to be honest, we didn't have much time to talk about it with the TARDIS crashing and me regenerating."

Jack gave him a nod. "Are you planning to tell her one day?"

The Time Lord's gaze shifted toward the coral again, away from the inquisitives eyes of the Captain. "I don't know. . . Well, after we've met now. . ."

Jack laughed out loud at that. "You might have to tell her, because you now know where I am and that I could run into her some time." He leaned forward. "You wouldn't even have spared a thought about it otherwise. That says so much about you, Doctor."

The Doctor couldn't help feeling caught again. He looked up and tried to hide his uneasiness. "I suppose it does," he replied and gave Jack a wan smile. "If you run long enough, it sort of becomes a life-style." He frowned at hearing himself saying that. What was wrong with him? Since when did he share any insights about his personality with someone?

However, his answer gave him a brilliant smile from Jack and he rejoiced at seeing it. He had to admit that he had missed the other man. Somehow he always had felt that Jack was capable of accepting him for what he was and he had enjoyed his presence in the TARDIS. Well, that was gone now. Even if Jack hadn't told him that he wasn't ready to leave this place, there was no way the TARDIS would accept the Captain back. He had known from the moment Jack had been revived that the sheer amount of Artron energy within the Captain would make his ship refuse him. He knew that he had to keep this bit to himself. Jack had always loved the TARDIS and the coral on his desk proved this fact. He wouldn't add to the Captain's heartbreak. His friend had enough to deal with.

Jack was looking toward him with narrowed eyes, somehow sensing that he was miles away. The Doctor shook himself and said, "I can't let you keep my hand, you know that."

Jack sighed. "I was expecting you to reclaim it. Let's not waste any more time then." He stood up and reached out with his hand. "Come on," he said.

When their hands touched the Doctor inhaled sharply, fighting against the urge to distance himself from the feeling of wrongness. Jack instantly felt it and let him go.

"You didn't exaggerate. This really hurts you!" he said with wide eyes.

The Time Lord took a step away from him, his eyes downcast. "It's rather uncomfortable than hurtful, Jack. I'm sure I can get used to it."

He saw the Captain raise his eyebrows in surprise. "Which means, you're planning to return?"

The Doctor gave him a smile. "Well, I can't promise you _when_ but I am certainly looking forward to examining the alien tech you've gathered here and. . ." He looked away not able to meet the Captain's gaze. "I honestly missed having you around and as I have a Time machine, I could pop in from time to time. I mean if that doesn't bother you too much. You can tell me, Jack if it does. I don't want to mess up your routine. I think you've got enough on your plate as it is. If you know. . . "

"Stop it," Jack interrupted him, laughing. "You're babbling."

The Doctor gave him a surprised look. "Am I? Oh, sorry, I don't mean to do that. I've been told that this regeneration tends to do that though. Well," he smiled toward the Captain, "what do you think?"

"About you popping in from time to time, looking around and giving me lectures about all the dangerous the stuff we're keeping here?"

The Time Lord gave him an expectant nod.

"I'd love it," Jack replied with a broad smile. "However, knowing you, I'm going to have to wait a long time for this to happen." He held up his hand to prevent the Doctor from answering. "Don't do that, Doctor. We both know that you are not popping in like that. But I appreciate the fact that you even thought about it."

The Doctor knew that Jack was right. He didn't know when he would come back and even if he was sure at this moment, he knew that it wouldn't cross his mind in the future. Once more the Captain proved that he had a very clear picture about him and his personality.

* * *

They stood outside on the Plaza, the Doctor carrying the canister with his hand. Jack observed his friend looking around one last time and felt a pang of sadness at letting him go. He had waited so long for him and now he was just letting him walk out of his life again. However, he had meant what he had said down in the Hub. He didn't expect the Doctor to come back. He knew how life on the TARDIS was and he was fairly sure that the Doctor would forget his promise the moment he stepped back into his ship. New worlds and new adventures would erase the memory of a Captain waiting in Cardiff.

"I really have to say," the Doctor interrupted his thoughts, "It reassures me to know that you are here, defending the Earth, Jack. If someone is able to do that, it's you. I know that you're more than capable of dealing with whatever the Rift throws at you."

Jack swallowed at that. He had expected the Doctor to argue with him about Torchwood and what they were doing. He'd never thought that he would receive praise from this man.

The Doctor didn't seem to expect an answer and Jack was glad about it. He hadn't a clue what to reply to this. It wouldn't do any good to tell his old friend what his approval meant to him. He noticed though that the Time Lord had stopped and was looking toward him with nervous eyes.

"What is it, Doctor?" the Captain asked.

"Weeeellll," the Doctor drew out and his gaze shifted away from Jack. "If you don't mind, I'd like to say good-bye here. . . I mean not that I don't trust you. But. . . uhm, you know that I don't do good-byes anyway. . . ."

Jack frowned at this. He had wanted to see the TARDIS once again. However, seeing the skinny man before him stuttering in embarrassment, he realized that his friend must have a reason for suggesting this. He gave the Time Lord an understanding smile. "Well, it won't become any easier if we postpone it," he replied, trying to keep his tone light.

He was rewarded with a relieved grin and it warmed his heart. This regeneration had so many facial expressions he hadn't seen in the Doctor before and it made him crave the Time Lord's approval even more. Suddenly it dawned on him that this might be the last time he would see this man and he wasn't able to fight the panic creeping up on him. He needed to reassure himself that he would be able to reach the Doctor somehow. He couldn't just let him walk away. In a swift motion he took one of his spare mobiles out of his coat and placed it into the Time Lord's hand, carefully avoiding touching the skin that reacted to his supposed wrongness. "Please, take this," he urged the other man. "I am sure you can enhance it to universal roaming and I really need to know that I can get hold of you in case. . ." he swallowed, trying to regain his composure, "in case of an emergency."

The Doctor scrutinized the device and gave him an accepting nod. "Well, who knows, perhaps I will even try to call you from time to time," he replied, his eyes shimmering with mischief. "Asking you what you've stored in your archives and lecturing you about the dangers of it."

Jack gave him a snort. "As if. But you could also call to ask me to help with a crisis if you wanted to. I mean, sometimes you need someone like me at your side to do the more aggressive deeds." He grinned at remembering how different their approach sometimes had been and what a good team they had made because of it.

The Doctor smiled back at him, apparently thinking about the same thing. "So, this is good-bye then," the Time Lord said and after having shoved the mobile in his pocket, he reached out with his hand. At the questioning look coming from the Captain, he reassured him, "No point in avoiding it. If I want to get used to touching you, I'll have to do it from time to time."

Relieved, Jack took the offered hand and shook it. He noticed that the Time Lord resisted the urge to flinch and they stayed like this for a moment before the Doctor released his grip.

Jack looked after him when he walked away. But before the Time Lord could disappear behind the next corner, he decided that there was one more thing he needed to know. "Doctor?" he called and the other man turned around.

"Is there something you can do? I mean about me?" Jack asked, his eyes almost pleading.

He saw the apologetic shimmer in the other man's eyes and knew the answer before it was voiced. "No, Jack. I'm sorry but we both have to live with it. Perhaps Rose would have been able to fix it, but she would have died before having the time. I'm really sorry."

Jack gave him a nod and a wan smile. "I thought so."

The Doctor's eyes narrowed and there was a humorous shimmer in his eyes when he asked, "Are you even sure that you want to be fixed, Jack? I mean, there is more to this than bearing the burden of living forever. Isn't there something you enjoy about the fact that you are immortal?"

Jack's eyes widened in surprise. How could the Doctor, who wasn't able to even touch him, suggest that there was a positive side to what had happened?

Now the Time Lord was smiling. "You know, the Time Lords would have done something about you. They would have found a way to terminate your life as they wouldn't have been able to accept the fact that someone like you can even exist. However, they are no more. There's only me and even if my reaction to you is driven by instinct, I think in this case we should bend the rules a bit and just try to deal with it. Your immortality was created out of love and I can see that you've done some good things with it so far."

Jack gave him a relieved smile. "So, you think that one day you'll get over that instinctive reaction?"

"Oh, I am sure about it. Otherwise I wouldn't have accepted this," he took out the mobile and winked at the Captain.

For the first time since the Time Lord had spoken about returning Jack had the feeling that perhaps he actually would and a broad grin brightened his face. "Thank you, Doctor," he said and the sincerity of it resonated in his voice.

"Until we meet again, Captain," the Time Lord replied and waved one last time before disappearing.

* * *

TBC in another story ;)


End file.
